


Love Makes the Perfect Gift

by SuperSaiyanHollow



Category: Bleach
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gift Fic, Ichihime - Freeform, IchihimeSS2017, Kissing, Light Angst, Light Drinking, Love Confessions, One-Shot, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-26 03:11:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13226907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperSaiyanHollow/pseuds/SuperSaiyanHollow
Summary: Orihime is more than happy that Ichigo will be attending her annual Christmas party not just as a guest this year, but as her boyfriend.





	Love Makes the Perfect Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!! Or, Happy Holidays if you celebrate something different! I am literally typing this up with a few minutes to go before 2018, but this is my last fic of 2017! I am counting this as my fic for December since that's when it was written, again, just couldn't post it until now! I'm so proud of myself since I managed to keep my New Year's resolution from last year, which was to post a fic every month of the year! I can't honestly believe I did it, but here we are! I have no idea what to make my resolution for this year, but I'm sure I'll figure something out~.
> 
> Anyways~, this fic was written as a part of the Ichihime Secret Santa of 2017! This Secret Santa gift is for orcas-on-the-moon on Tumblr! They gave me three prompts: cuddling, listening to music, and dancing at a holiday party. Normally, you're only supposed to choose one prompt, but I put all three into one! Merry Christmas, orcas-on-the-moon! I hope you enjoy it! I had a lot of fun writing it! This is actually the first time I've ever written Ichihime, so I hope it's up to par! I have a lot of Ichihime WIPs, but I haven't gotten around to posting them! Maybe my New Year's resolution this year should be to start posting my Bleach ideas...
> 
> As some of you may not know my main blog is yaoiobsessedwrites if you'd like to follow me on Tumblr. I created a new Tumblr called supahimagery along with yaoiobsessedwrites. This new blog is strictly for writing! I've decided to share my knowledge with you all and post writing tips and tricks! I also reblog useful resources~. This is not just for fanfiction either! I will also be tackling essay writing and original works! I've already got one post up about the basics of writing smut, so for all of you out there who need a little bit of guidance, check it out! I will also be posting my own works to that blog, but you can also find them on my main Tumblr, yaoiobsessedwrites, so don't worry~!
> 
> I am still accepting requests on my Tumblr as long as they are under 1,000 words. For anything larger, please check out my Tumblr or send me an email at superimageryyy@gmail.com. If you have any questions about my writing or want to see something specific, email me at the previous address or send me a message on Tumblr. I promise I don't bite! If you message me on my writing blog, however, and I do not respond to you within a few days, please message my main account! I don't check my writing blog often and I don't receive notifications as it is a separate account. If you message me on my main account, it goes straight to my phone!
> 
> Merry Christmas and on with the show~!
> 
> Disclaimer: I in no way own Bleach nor do I own any of its characters.

She couldn’t believe that time had gone by so fast. It seemed like only yesterday she had been handing out holiday invitations and now the day of the party had arrived. In actuality, it had been about two weeks, but it didn’t feel like that to her. Orihime had always been the type of person that became infected with the Christmas spirit. She loved every second of December as it was all just a giant build-up to Christmas. She merrily indulged in the good cheer with Christmas music, lots of decorations, and of course, her annual Christmas party. But, this year was going to be different,  _ special _ , as Ichigo was coming over as not just a guest, but as her  _ boyfriend _ . 

It was even harder to believe that the two of them had been dating for several months now. After everything that they had been through, an era of peace finally reigned over them for the first time in what seemed like  _ years _ . Although there would always be the occasional hollow, nothing major had sprung up this year, and they were all more than grateful for it. It allowed them to get back to their everyday lives, and no matter how mundane that seemed, they couldn’t be happier. She was able to hang out with Tatsuki and Chizuru whenever she pleased and head to the store to try out all new recipes again. Ichigo was as studious as ever, burying himself in his schoolwork as their senior year approached. Ishida tried to keep to himself as always, but they managed to rein him in every now and then. Chad still got into daily brawls trying to put others before himself, yet he was much more capable of handling bullies now. Rukia and Renji made a habit out of returning to the Human World weekly, often staying for a few days or more to hide from their Shinigami duties.

And, in the midst of the tranquil atmosphere, their young love had finally blossomed. She hadn’t found herself complaining when Ichigo began hanging out with her more and more. He found ways to worm himself into her life whether it was sitting with the girls at lunch or stumbling across her on her way home from the store, suddenly Ichigo was  _ everywhere _ . He invited her over to study, which usually ended with her sharing dinner with his family. He offered to walk with her on clear and sunny days. Or, if it was ugly out with dark skies and continuous rain, he would pick out a movie for them to watch at her place. She noticed his advances straight away, but she hadn’t wanted to get her hopes up after pinning after him for so long. So, she simply smiled a little wider, blushed a little darker, and dealt a little longer with the flutter of butterflies in her stomach every time Ichigo called her up to do something.

She started to believe that her whimsical crush on Ichigo was just that when the peace began. She had loved him for so long without any reciprocated feelings from him. She started to think that she was just obsessed with her wishful thinking, that never in a million years would Ichigo  _ love  _ her back. They were older and had experienced far more than they ever should have at that point, and while their experiences had drawn them closer to one another, she still hadn’t felt like it was enough. She thought that maybe it was time to move on, to place her love and adoration into someone that would eagerly return it. She was tired of wasting all her time and energy into a boy that obviously didn’t love her back. It was a hard decision to make, one that caused her great heartache and a few sleepless nights. But luckily, Ichigo confronted her a few days later.

The peace seemed to be there to stay after a month went by without the world collapsing around them. It had been a strange new pace as they no longer had to watch their backs or live in fear of the next day. It had been a cloudy afternoon when Ichigo called to take a walk through the park near her house. She had readily agreed despite her recent thoughts of foregoing her advances. A small part of her had still hoped, and she was glad that it had. Armed with an umbrella, she had waited outside for Ichigo to arrive, her heart beating erratically. She had shuffled her feet trying to push her desires aside. She had been trying to move on, but as soon as she saw him approaching, she had frozen, a light flush covering her cheeks. He had looked cherubic that day, his usual scowl gone, replaced with a blinding smile. He had been somewhat bundled up, most likely thanks to his sisters insisting he wear a thick coat. They had chatted for a moment in front of her house before setting off towards the park.

Their conversation throughout was light and jubilant. They had talked a bit about the future and Ichigo explained how he longed to get into a local university and work his way through medical school. She vividly remembered how in that moment he looked like any old teenager with big ambitions and not the chosen one he had seemed to become at least in the Soul Society’s eyes. They had laughed together, and Orihime had sneakily gotten closer to him inch by inch. Yet, when they had reached a tall serrata tree, Ichigo stopped, gazing up at the lush green leaves with his hands tucked into his pockets. She had tilted the umbrella back, her eyes trailing up with his.

_ “Perfect…,”  _ he had muttered much to her own confusion.

A question had been ripe on the tip of her tongue, but her voice left her when Ichigo’s gaze had landed back on her, that wide grin in place. And, much to her surprise, a soft pink hue had risen onto his own cheeks.

_ “Orihime...I’ve been thinking a lot and...after all that we’ve been through I think I...Well, I...I think I  _ **_love_ ** _ you.” _

And while it hadn’t been the smoothest confession, she couldn’t have appreciated his stuttered utterance any more. Her eyes had widened at his loss of composure, and the blush staining his cheeks had been a rare sight indeed. And when she had finally processed what he had said, her jaw had slackened, the umbrella almost slipping out of her then loose grip. For a moment, they had simply stared at each other as if they couldn’t believe what had just happened. Ichigo had reached up to awkwardly rub at the nape of his neck, his blush only darkening as the seconds ticked on. All her recent thoughts about leaving Ichigo suddenly seemed preposterous, and she had felt guilty for even considering it. She knew her heart yearned for him, and he had just ignited the spark within her, all the butterflies in her stomach fluttering away and taking off.

Eventually, she managed to move stiff limbs, the brightest smile Ichigo had ever seen lighting up her face. She had tossed the umbrella to the ground, hurriedly stepping up to him in order to fling her arms around his neck.

All she had been able to say in that moment was a shaky, “K-Kurosaki-kun!” before the waterworks began. And, he had held her there, a soft smile of his own playing on his lips as he embraced her trembling form.

She hadn’t been able to speak for a bit after that as every time she went to she ended up crying again. Ichigo could only laugh at her simply because she had been too cute in his eyes. Her tears had actually broken the ice between them as Ichigo felt more comfortable after witnessing her outburst. He had also enjoyed consoling her, his grip on her waist tight throughout her meek attempts to speak. Eventually, they had ended up sitting underneath the serrata tree together in order to talk through their own feelings. Their hands had been interlocked the entire time, keeping them both steady. And when they had stood back up, they were officially girlfriend and boyfriend.

Neither of them were able to keep their relationship a secret for long, but it wasn’t like they had wanted to in the first place. Tatsuki had seen right through Orihime the next time they saw one another, and Rukia had done the same to Ichigo. Soon their entire friend circle knew of their relationship status, and Keigo was quick to spread the news throughout the school. A lot of money ended up exchanging hands that week as bets were finally cashed in. With no reason to hold back, the two of them eagerly showed off their affection by walking together, holding hands, and sharing sweet kisses when they believed no one else to be around. It was like a dream come true for the both of them.

Since then, they had been on quite a few dates, but nothing was better than being in Ichigo’s presence, his radiant and heroic glow. She always felt safe and secure with him around like nothing could touch her. With Ichigo by her side, she was unstoppable. They were like two peas in a pod, both of them bringing out the best in one another. Everyone could see it and they were all so happy for the two of them. And as Tatsuki had said: “It was about damn time!”

So, she was more than a little excited for the Christmas party this year. Normally, she was already hyped up, but now it was an even more alluring event. Ichigo had even said that he would show up a little earlier to help her finish setting things up. It was getting close to that time as she slaved away in the kitchen, preparing last minute desserts. The Christmas cake was already baked and decorated as it sat on the counter in all its festive glory. It was a simple white cake with a Santa figure on top. In front of him was a chocolate banner that read “Merry Christmas”. She had a giant bowl of punch set out though she knew Rangiku and the others would bring sake, perhaps even hot sake (something no one else would drink anyways since the rest of them were all underage). She was piping the last little details onto the cute Christmas wagashi she had made, creating snowmen and reindeer with a sweet bean paste. And, of course, she couldn’t forget the Daifuku mochi she had made last night with red bean paste for good luck in the coming year. She even made a handful of Ichigo Daifuku mochi just for her sweetheart.

She placed the final drop onto a wagashi to give the snowman his set of eyes, then she tapped her finger against the tip of the pastry bag to snatch up the paste there. She popped her finger into her mouth, humming as the sickeningly sweet taste met her tongue. Just as she sat the pastry bag down her doorbell rang. Whipping her head around to check the time on the oven, she gasped sharply when she realized who it was! She dusted off her hands before dashing to the door, making sure to straighten out her hat first.

“Ichigo!”

They both blinked when Orihime flung the door open.

“Um well…,” Ichigo stammered as he looked her up and down.

A small blush spread across her cheeks. “We accidentally wore matching outfits,” she mumbled with a light giggle.

It was true as they both stared at each other’s Santa costumes. They each had a red hat with white fluff around the brim. Orihime was wearing a red dress that hung down just above her knees. There was white fluff on her collar, around her wrists, and on the bottom of the dress. Two white puffballs adorned it on her chest. Ichigo was wearing the traditional Santa jacket, unbuttoned to reveal his plain black T-shirt underneath. He also had on loose red pants with fluff around the ankles. They were both wearing boots too, though Ichigo’s were black while Orihime’s were red with more white on the top.

They both felt more than a little awkward as they had both wanted to surprise the other with their get-up, but eventually Ichigo shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

“I mean I really can’t complain...You look beautiful like that.”

Her smile had widened before she ushered him inside and out of the cold December air. She slammed the door shut behind him, turning back around to see Ichigo standing in the middle of her living room with a beaming grin on his face, his head tilted up. She went to question his actions when he spoke up.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You?” he asked with his white smile while angling his head towards her.

While she had been topping off the last of her pastries she had turned on her little radio in order to sing along as she worked since it always helped her concentrate. She had grown used to the music in the background and didn’t notice it when she had been busy opening the door. Now that she was listening, however, the song had switched, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

Ichigo reached his hand out towards her, obviously waiting for her. Her blush darkened, one of her hands coming up to cover her mouth as she chuckled. Hesitantly, she made her way over to him, bringing her free hand up to place it inside his bigger one. His fingers curled around her dainty hand, squeezing gently. Then, he pulled her in front of him, his other hand settling on her hip as he brought her closer. He shuffled their connected hands to where their fingers were interlocked, holding onto her tightly. He held her hand up and out in a traditional dancing pose before beginning to sway gingerly with her to the music.

She laughed under her breath at his ministrations, but she was more than happy to play along. They twirled together to the beat in her living room, nothing complex, and yet, it meant the world to her. She had always longed for moments like this with Ichigo, moments where it was only the two of them lost in their own world, eyes only on each other. Back and forth they swayed, feet moving slowly as to not accidentally step onto one another. She gazed up at him dreamily, noticing how his own eyes became hooded when he stared at her. Soon Ichigo began to hum the song, his deep baritone more angelic than the artist’s.

Enticed by his humming, she went to lay her head on his chest. She could hear his slow and steady heartbeat, which relaxed her even further. Like this, she could feel his chest vibrate and rumble with every syllable. She sighed contently, sluggish moving her feet now. She felt like she could fall asleep like this, wrapped in his warm embrace, his smooth voice in her ear. They stayed like that, rocking in place, until the song ended. When it did, his hand on her hip reached up to grab at her chin. He lifted her head, causing her to blink her suddenly heavy eyelids. Their eyes locked together, a mix of two smoldering browns, and they mirrored each other’s smiles. Ichigo proceeded to bend down, and knowing what he was doing, she angled her head up so that their lips could meet in the middle.

It was a pleasant press of lips, nothing obscene or needy. It was a soft show of affection, their mouths melding together perfectly just as they always knew they would. Orihime puckered into his lips slightly, wanting more, but knowing this wasn’t the time. Ichigo tasted of spices and a hint of vanilla while she tasted like honey with a drop of mint. Ichigo’s tongue threatened to dart out and capture more of essence, but he held back not wanting this to turn into something more when he knew more people would be showing up soon. So, they stayed pressed together for as long as they could, tilting their heads to attempt to get even closer to each other. Only when their lungs could no longer handle the strain did they part, panting for breath as they gazed longingly into one another’s eyes.

They had been holding hands the entire time, so Ichigo decided to give hers a squeeze then. His lips curled to one side. “C’mon, let’s go finish decorating before everyone shows up.”

* * *

All in all, the party had been a major success that year. Orihime had more people show up than ever before thanks to Rukia and Renji spreading the word throughout the Seireitei. Rangiku finally managed to drag along Hitsugaya, and Renji brought Shuhei and Kira. Of course, all of their human friends attended the party as well, and it had been a nice exchange between the mortals and Shinigami. Ikkaku and Yumichika showed up, though they had no idea what Christmas was (Ikkaku believed it was some kind of epic duel). She swore she even saw a glimpse of Byakuya at one point before he vanished off into a corner again. Kon ended up crashing the party dressed similarly to herself and Ichigo. It was the holiday season though, so they let him be as he reveled in the hot sake with Rangiku. 

Her house had been filled with chatter and lovely Christmas music. She hadn’t seen the place so lively in so long that it truly warmed her heart. The confectionaries were also a  _ huge  _ hit as most of them were gone within the first thirty minutes of the party. But, what made this party even better, was that she had Ichigo there by her side the entire night. Not once did he separate himself or wander off to go talk with someone else; it was almost as if they were glued at the hip. It was a sweet gesture, and she found herself reaching down to grip his hand more often than not. There was even a toast to their long and happy relationship at one point, which had made them both blush furiously.

At some point during the night, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” started playing again, and Ichigo laughed like a maniac before once again pulling her into his arms. They took the center stage of her living room, everyone quieting down in order to watch the two of them sway about the room. She had been so embarrassed, but the faint pink dusted over Ichigo’s own cheeks made her feel better, and they both ended up giggling at the other’s discomfort. Sadly, they chose not to make-out in front of so many prying eyes, but he had whispered in her ear that he would gladly kiss her later.

The party lasted well into the night, and they finally managed to kick out the drunken Rangiku and co. with Rukia and Hitsugaya’s help around midnight. Orihime’s shoulders slumped as she was still pressing her palms firmly against her front door from where they had pushed the others out. She turned around, her back against the door, as she let out a sigh of relief. She slid slightly, her vision blurry from fatigue. She was ready to curl up into a ball under her covers and pass out for the night. The party had gone swimmingly and had been exciting, but it had wore her out. The thought of sleep motivated her to lift herself from the door and go get changed.

She took off her Santa outfit and hat, replacing it with a pair of pink silken PJs. She hummed as she felt so much better in her comfort clothes than that stuffy costume. When she headed back into the living room, she saw that Ichigo had done the same as he was now sporting a pair of gray sweatpants and his black T-shirt from earlier. He was sitting criss-crossed on the couch with the plate of Ichigo Daifuku mochi on his lap. He seemed to be enjoying himself as over half of the mochi was already gone.

She grinned sleepily as she went to sit beside him, rubbing at her eyes gently. But, just as she was about to bend down, she noticed who else was making themselves at home on her couch: Kon. It seemed like the little stuffed lion had tuckered himself out as well, or perhaps had drunk too much sake, as he was passed out on the cushion next to Ichigo. Feeling sympathetic, she carefully lifted him up into her arms, not wanting to wake him. She sat down on the couch, bringing her legs up as well to tuck them to the side of her. She leaned her head against Ichigo’s shoulder, nuzzling him slightly. She placed Kon on top of her knees, laughing as quietly as she could when he curled in on himself.

Ichigo, however, was too busy stuffing his face with mochi to pay her any attention. She knew just what to do though. She lifted her head up, smirking lightly, as she leaned in to press an exaggerated kiss to his round cheek. She hummed into it, breaking it off with an audible pop. She could  _ tell  _ that the hairs on his neck were standing up as he turned to look at her with wide eyes and a flushed face. He smiled awkwardly when she raised a brow at him while still smirking mischievously.

“Uh...Do you want a taste?” he offered, going to pick up another piece of mochi.

“Sure~,” she answered, diving in to capture his lips first.

This time their kiss wasn’t as clean as she swiped her tongue over his lips instantly to taste the mochi she had made. She moaned softly at both the feeling and the scrumptious pastry. She cracked open one of her eyes to see the expression on Ichigo’s face: it was that much redder, but he seemed to be enjoying himself all the same. She lapped at his lips, right over the center, begging for entrance. Timidly, he parted his lips for her so that she could begin to map out the expanse of his mouth from the roof to the inside of his cheeks and to the back of his throat. He let out a surprised moan himself when she reached back there, his own tongue then joining the fray. The sweet taste of Ichigo mochi was prominent in his mouth as it mixed with their own distinct tastes. Their tongues wrapped around each other, and they sucked at certain intervals, making chills run down their spines.

She was the first to pull away though as a familiar heat settled in the pit of her stomach; she knew she had to end things before it became too much for her. When they pulled apart, they stayed only a few inches from each other as they panted, hot breathes intermingling. She grinned widely before swooping in to peck at Ichigo’s nose. He, in turn, kissed her forehead.

He finished up the last of his special mochi, hand-feeding her a sliver at her own request. She swallowed down the sweet, going back to nuzzling his shoulder. He placed the empty plate down on the coffee table in front of them, picking up the remote before he leaned back to nestle himself into the couch. He began flipping through the channels. 

“Wanna see if there’s a Christmas movie on tonight?”

She nodded with a yawn, pulling Kon closer to her chest to cuddle him like the plush he was. They found a traditional Christmas film easily, but she only watched a good ten minutes of it before she fell asleep on his shoulder, content and comfortable with her boyfriend,  _ her savior _ . 

**Author's Note:**

> Again, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Let's hope 2018 is good to us all! To orcas-on-the-moon, I hope this is everything you could have wished for. I gave it my all!
> 
> Of course, if you'd like to see something similar to this work or if you'd like to see me write another Bleach fic sooner, remember to check out my Tumblr or email me at superimageryyy@gmail.com!
> 
> My writing requests are still open on Tumblr! I will write 1,000 words and under for a request! If you'd like something longer, please check out the rules on my Tumblr!
> 
> My Tumblr is yaoiobsessedwrites. It is labeled as an 18+ blog simply because I do reblog NSFW posts, so if you have trouble finding it on mobile that's why. Feel free to message me on my Tumblr! I'm always willing to talk to people about pretty much anything. You can also send me prompts or ask questions! I promise I'm not scary!
> 
> My writing Tumblr is supahimagery. Feel free to message me here as well! Shoot me an ask if you have any writing questions or simply want some advice! I'm always more than willing to help. It's why I created this blog! It's not just for FanFiction either! Feel free to ask me questions pertaining to essay writing, editing, and/or about original works!
> 
> If I do not respond to your message on my writing account, please send me a message on my main account! I will be able to see the notification right away!
> 
> I do have a FanFiction account as well. It's under the same penname. Some of the fics on there are pretty old though, so here's your warning!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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